Fabric cleanser



Feb. 7, 1940- c. B. PREACHER 2, 9 .9

FABRIC CLEANSER Filed Dec. 16, 1937- M Q5441, w 9 5.

Patented Feb.- 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC CLEAN SEECharles B. Preacher, Sumter, S. O. ApplicationDecember 16, 1937, SerialNo. 180,127

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fabric cleanser and has more particularreference to a device for cleaning clothes or other fabrics wherein acleaning fluid is caused by heat treatment to circulate' 6 from aheating chamber, through the clothes or fabrics to be cleaned, and backinto the heating chamber.

7 An object of the invention is the provision of a novel and an improvedfabric cleanser.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a generallysimplified fabric cleanser wherein the cleaning fluid due to expansionby heat treatment is discharged'with considerable force against thefabric to be cleaned and is caused to percolate through the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a cleanser whereinagitation of the fabric to be cleaned is not only unnecessary butwherein -the fabric is held in such a position that it effectivelyseparates without sealing the cleanin fluid in the heating chamber fromthe cleaning fluid discharged therefrom whereby efficient circulation isobtained for cleaning the fabric.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a cleanserhaving adjustable fabric holding means for adapting it to accommodatevarious amounts of fabrics to be cleaned.

Other objects of the invention include the novel combinations andarrangements of parts as herein disclosed in connection with anembodiment exemplifying the invention and as set forth in the appendedclaims. I

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates an upright cross section through a fabric cleanserembodying the features of the invention with parts broken away orotherwise removed for the sake of clarity and with a suitable source ofheat shown more or less diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary upright cross section through the cleanser shownin Fig..1 but taken substantially at ninety degrees therefrom toillustrate the adjustable feature of the fabric holding means; and 45Fig. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of the fabric cleanser chosen toillustrate the features of the invention. v

Illustrative of a fabric cleanser for accomplishing the objects of theinvention, the drawing shows a container ll of'any suitable shape andconstruction having a bottom l2, upstanding side walls l3 and an openupper end I5. A heating chamber I8 is provided in the lower end of thecontainer II with means for supporting articles ll of clothing or otherfabrics to be cleaned in spaced relation from the bottom H of thecontainer.

The supporting means just mentioned as illustrated. in Fig. l isconstructed of a hollow tubular member l8 receivable within thecontainer ll, resting on the bottom I2 adjacent the side walls l3 andhaving suitably secured on its upper end above and spaced from thebottom l2 a screen or other perforate member [9 of sufficient strengthto support the articles I'I above 10 the chamber l6 and of suflicientporosity as not to interfere with the circulation of the cleaning fluid.The supporting means just described is suitably secured as by', forexample, soldering or brazing in place in the lower end of the containerand cooperates with adjustable clothes or fabric holding means for soholding various kinds ofclothes or-fabrics above the chamber l6 that theclothes or fabrics while effectively separating without sealing thecleaning fluid in the chamber it from cleaning fluid on the clothes orfabrics ll will nevertheless permit the fluid to percolate downwardlyinto the heating chamber l6.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a suitable adjustable clothesholding means is fabricated by securing a hollow tubular member 2icarrying across its lower end a screen or other member 22 like themember H! to the lower ends of.depending arms 23'which are integral attheir respective upper ends with a connecting member 24 which is usefulas a handle in positioning the adjustable fabric holding means incooperative relationship with the fabrics to be cleaned in the containerII. The arms-23 and the connecting member 24 constitute a substantiallyinverted U- shaped member which carries the member 22 for engaging onthe clothes or fabrics I'I in the container II and for pressing theclothes or fabrics against the member I9 whereby they are squeezed vlaterally outwardly into close engagement with the side walls 13 of thecontainer.

The depending arms 23 are provided with a plurality of respectivelyaligned apertures 25 which are spaced longitudinally of each arm andwhich cooperate with aligned apertures. 26 in lugs 46 or ears 2'! at theupper ends of diametrically opposite sides of the container and aretainin orl or pin 28 adapted to be inserted through the apertures 26and any pair of aligned apertures 25 in the arms 23 for adjustablysecuring the adjustable clothes or fabric holding means in adjustedposition.

For conducting the cleaning fluid expanded by the heat from the sourceshown diagrammatically at 29 in Fig. 1 from-the chamber l6 and face ofthe fabrics to be cleaned. 65

directing it over and against the upper surface of the compressedclothes or fabrics II in the container II, a tube or other suitableconduit 3I is secured at one end in an aperture 32 in the lower end of aside wall I3 and aligned with an wardly at the upper end of thecontainer I I and.

is provided at its upper end with a downwardly directed nozzle or outletmember 34 adapted to direct the expanded fluid on and over the uppersurface of the clothes or fabrics H as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3.

In operation, the clothes or fabrics to be cleaned are arranged in thecontainer II on the screen member I9. By tilting the tubular member 2Iand the screen member 22 to cause it to clear the outlet member 34, theadjustable fabric holding means may be inserted in the open upper end ofthe container II and moved therein to' bring the screen member 22 intoengagement with the upper surface of the clothes or fabrics to becleaned. By means of the member 25, the fabric holding means is then mavmipulated for gently compressing the fabrics between the screen membersI9 and 22 and squeezing or spreadingmhem outwardly against the uprightwalls I3 of the container II whereupon the retaining rod 28 is insertedthrough the aperture 26 in one of the lugs 21 and moved transverselyover the top of the container through a pair of the aligned apertures 25in the arms 23 and the aperture 28, in the other lug 21 for removablyretaining the fabric holding means in its adjusted position, theparticular pair of aligned apertures 25 depending upon the amount ofclothes in the container II.

There are many well known cleaning fluids which are available andsuitable for use in the novel fabric cleanser of the inventionL Forexample, I may start with saponified water which may be introduced intothe container before or after the clothes or fabrics have been arrangedtherein as just described above and, by applying heat from the source29, cause the expansion and consequent circulation of the cleaning fluidfrom the chamber I6, upwardly through the conduit 3|, downwardly out ofthe outlet member, on the upper surface of the fabrics, through thefabrics and back into the chamber I6. The preferred procedure, however,is to supplysubstantially boiling saponified water to the container Hafter the fabrics have been arranged therein as already described andthus expedite the above described circulatory action for cleaning thefabrics. .I have observed that where the substantially, boiling water issupplied to the container after the fabrics have.

been arranged therein, the circulation begins almost immediately andwater or vapor is sprayed through the outlet member 34 on the upper sur-It will be noted that the fabrics themselves are employed to resist theupward force of expansion, Within the container I I so that the forceresulting from the expansion of the fluid in the chamber I6 causes thefluid to flow through the conduit 3| and the outlet member'34 and toimpinge with considerable force against the upper surface of thefabrics. As the fluid is thus displaced from the chamber I6, it isreplenished by fluid which has'been filtered, percolated orotherwiseforced through the fabrics whereby the fabrics are effectivelycleaned. Thus, with novel and inexpensive apparatus, clothes or otherfabrics are effectively and quickly cleansed and due to the temperatureswhere saponifled water is employed in the apparatus, the fabrics arelikewise sterilized.

While I'have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limitedto the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A fabric cleaning device comprising a cylindrical container having aclosed bottom and at opposite sides thereof of a length substan-' tiallyequal to the height of the side walls of said container, said operatingarms having a horizontal handle portion connecting their outer endsoutside of said container and each having between its inner and outerends a vertical series of apertures respectively aligned with theapertures in the other to provide a plurality of pairs of apertures insaid operating arms, each pair of apertures being arranged to registerwith the aligned apertures in the upwardly extending side wall portionsof said container, a rod of greater length than the diameter of thecontainer extending through the apertures in the side wall portions ofsaid container and any pair of aligned apertures in said operating armswhereby to fix said compression member adjustably in said containerrelative to the closed and open ends thereof, and a fluid conductingconduit extending exteriorly of said container and at one end of saidconduit communicating with the pressure chamber and at the other end ofsaid cone duit communicating with the open end of said container wherebya circulation of a cleaning fluid may be maintained from said pressurechamber into the upper portion of said container for circulationdownwardly therethrough.

2. A fabric cleaning device comprising a container having side walls, anopen top and a closed bottom, said side walls including oppositelydisposed portions extending above said open top and having alignedapertures therein, a fabric supporting perforate screen in 'saidcontainer, means for spacing said screen from the closed bottom of saidcontainer to provide a boiling and pressure chamber between said screenand said closed bottom, a fabric compressing perforate screen freelyslidable within said container to press fabrics to be cleaned againstsaid fabric supporting screen, a pair of vertical screen supporting armsatopposite sides of said fabric compressing screen and extending outsideof said container through the open top thereof, said screen supportingarms. having a horizontal handle member connecting their outer endsoutside 01' said container and each said screen supporting arm betweenits outer and inner ends being provided with a vertical series ofapertures horizontally aligned with those in the other screen supportingarm respectively to provide a plurality of pairs of horizontally alignedapertures in said arms, a rod of greater length than the diameter ofsaid container rem'ovably insertable through the aligned apertures insaid side wall portions and any pair of aligned apertures in said screensupporting arms for releasably and adjustably securing said fabriccompressing screen within said container relative to the closed and openends thereof, and a fluid conducting conduit communicating at one endwith the pressure chamber, extending therefrom exteriortion of saidcontainer, said fluid conducting conduit having outlet means at itsupper end for spraying the circulating cleaning fluid downwardly againstthe upper surface of the fabrics to be cleaned for circulationdownwardly therethrough.

CHARLES B. PREACHER.

